Where Donnie Yen Practiced Martial Arts

Born on July 27, 1963, in Guangdong, China, Donnie Yen came to Hong Kong at the age of 2 until he immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts, USA at the age of 11[3]. Donnie Yen's mother, Mrs. Mak Po-chan, was an international martial artist and tai chi master, so he practiced martial arts with his mother from an early age, and was exposed to both traditional Chinese kung fu, such as tai chi, and Western boxing, which provided him with a good foundation in traditional martial arts[4].

In 1974, at the age of 12, Donnie Yen's family immigrated to Boston, U.S.A., where he studied various styles of martial arts, and in 1978, because Donnie Yen was influenced by Bruce Lee's preference for free sparring, which his mother did not specialize in, he was sent to Beijing's Shichahai Sports School for two years of training[6]. Donnie Yen became the first non-Chinese student to be awarded a sixth-degree black belt in Taekwondo during his time at the school[7].[8] After returning to the United States in 1982, he participated in regional martial arts competitions in the U.S. and won the championship[3].

In 1987, Donnie Yen traveled from the United States to Xi'an to study traditional routines with Zhao Changjun, the director of the Zhao Changjun Wushu Academy, which laid the groundwork for his future traditional martial arts. On his way back to the U.S., he passed through Hong Kong and was introduced to director Yuen Woo-ping. From then on Yuan Woo-ping and Donnie Yen began a long term collaboration.